Rail anchor



June 20, 1933. F. w. COOPER RAIL ANCHOR Original Filed Feb. 8, 1926 Arm/2f both on the same side of the shank, and is covered in my Patent No. 1,618,577, granted February 22nd, 1927.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates in two figures certain combinations of four modifications of the type of anchor herein dealt with, but to which modifications and combinations thereof or any or all of the details thereof the invention in its broad aspects is by no means limited, the same being disclosed for explanatory purposes and without limitative intent,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an anchor formed according to the present invention as seen in position on a rail.

Figs. 2 ad 3 are side elevations illustrating various modifications of the type of anchor heroin dealt with, each being in plan, substantially as shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a further modification.

Referring more particularly to the draw ing, 11 and 12 designate the base flanges of a rail and 13 and ll designate the substantially similar end hooks of a rail anchor shown as engaging the flanges 11 and 12, respectively, the said hooks being connected by a body or shank 15 extending beneath the rail base, transversely thereof. The hooks are each adapted to embrace a flange of the rail base and are each additionally provided on the back with a shoulder to abuttingly engage the edge surface of a base flange. As will be seen, the hooks are formed on. opposite sides of the 1' shank 15, so that when either hook is in operative flange embracing relation with a rail the other hook is inverted beneath the rail and engages the edge surface of the second flange thereof by means of the shoulder.

The inner surface 16 of the tip of each hook is adapted to bear, substantially flatwise, on the sloping upper surface of a base flange, while the inner surface 17 of the back of each hook is adapted to hear on the bottom surface of a base flange. While in theory there will be, in the case of the two modifications shown in the drawing, only a line bearing between the curved surface 17 and the flange bottom, there will be, for all practical purposes, an appreciable area of bearing surface. The bearing surfaces 17 are formed, in each of the modifications shown, on portions of the anchor projecting into the hooks intermediate the tips and throats thereof and resulting fromthe provision of slight bends, as at 18, between the shanks and hooks and in the reverse directions to the hooks bends. The opening of each hook is initially too little to fully accommodate the rail flange for which the hook is intended, so that in application to av rail the flange embracing hook will be forced slightly more open, as indicated by comparison of the dotted and full lines of the hook 13 in Figure 2, the dotted lines indicating the relaxed condition of the hook before application. Because of downward pressure of the hook tip on a base flange, which will result from forcible entry of the flange, the tips of the hook are preferably turned sufiiciently outward to avoid edge bearing on the flange, such manner of engagement rendering application of the anchor difiicult. The back of each hook is provided with one .or more shoulders 19 for abutment against the edge of a rail base flange, and there is provided inwardly of each such shoulder a bearing surface 20 for engagement with the under surface of a rail base flange. The shoulder or shoulders of each hook are located a distance from the throat of the other hook somewhat greater than the width of the base of the rail or rails, for which the anchor is adapted, so that when the anchor is in position on a rail one edge of the rail base will'be in enga ement with a shoulder 19 and the other ecIge will be spaced from the root of the other hook. Figures 2 and 3 present two modifications in respect to the shoulders 19 and seats 20. In Figure 2, the shoulders and seats are formed by pressing or cutting the out wardly bulging backs of the hoo {S or in some other way formed within the normal lines of curvature of the hook backs. In Figure 3 the shoulders are formed by reason of projcctions 21 beyond the normal lines of curvature of the hook backs. The seats 20 in the modification may be merely the normal surfaces of the hook backs, as shown, or specially formed seats 20, such for example as in Figure 2, may be incorporated with the projection type ofshoulder. The modification of Figure 2 further discloses the provision of a plurality of shoulders 19 and seats 20 on each book for the purpose of adapting the anchor to a variety of rail base widths or a variety of base flange thicknesses, or both. Obviously, a plurality of shoulders and seats at each end of the anchor may be applied to shoulders provided after the manner shown in Figure 3.

If it is deemed advisable to depart in a small measure from the feature of exact similarity of the hooks, but without abandoning the feature of reversibility, which is the object of the similar hooks, one hook can be initially formed slightly more open than the other and the shoulders located slightly differently as between the two hooks,

so as to adapt the anchor to a wide range of variations in rail base dimensions. In the case of such alternative formation, the feature ofreversibility of the anchor will be partially but not wholly sacrificed, the anchor being still reversible on rails of intermediate sizes but probably not reversible on rails the dimensions of which are the extremes of the range covered.

Figures 2 and 3, in addition to disclosing different modifications of hook formation,

with additional also disclose two modificationsfof shank formation, Figure 2 showing a straight shank and Figure '3 an undulating curved shank, designated 15 It is to be understood that the invention is not in any way confined to the combinations of shank and hook formation illustrated, as these modifications may be otherwise combined with one another or modifications not herein shown. The curved shank has the advantage of resiliency which may serve to relieve the hooks of some stress in operation, while the straight shank has the advantage of being more easily manufactured.

In Figure 4, there is shown a further modification, applicable in combination with any of the other modifications herein shown or in combination with other modifications, and which comprises offsetting the anchor so that the hooks thereof, instead of lying in the same plane as the shank, lie in substantially parallel planes slightly out of parallel with the plane of the shank. lVhile the offset is shown occurring in the shank, so as to position the hooks parallel with the side of a tie. it will be understood that it is not confined to the exact location or formation shown. but may be otherwise effected.

The manner of applying the anchors to a rail and removing the same from a rail is the same forall modifications shown and is eX- trcmely simple. The anchor is passed transversely under a rail as closely as possible in contact with the tie against which the anchor is to bear, and with the hook of the leading end downwardly turned, so that the hook at the trailing end passes into embracing engagement with one flange of the rail base. The opening of the hooks being too small for full entry of the base flange, as already stated the flange wedges between the surfaces 16 and 17 of the trailing hook and arrests manual movement of the anchor before the appropriate shoulder 19 at the leading end passes the edge of the other flange. Considerable force must be exerted to complete the ad Vance of the anchor to operative relation with the rail, such force being usually applied with a hammer by striking toward the rail on the outer end ofthe trailing hook. During the forcible advance of the anchor the embraced flange spreads the hook (13) open to a relatively greater extent than shown 111 full llnes, Figure 2, due to the fact that the shank is at a greater angle to the bottom of the rail base than shown, by reason of the back of the shoulder at the advancing end holding the shank away from the rail base. It will be noticed that the bearing surface 16 of the hook tip is nearer the central vertical plane of the rail than'the bearing surface 17. This causes the anchor to act as a lever fulcrumed on the bottom oft-he rail base at the bearing surface 17 and at its advancing end (14) pressing upwardly against the rail base. When the advance of the anchor is completed and the shoulder 19 passes the edge of the flange, this upward pressure causes the leading end of the anchor to rise so that the shoulder 19 passes into engagement with the edge surface of the flange (12). The rise is accompanied by a swing of the anchor around its fulcrum point 17 with consequent relief of hook tension and contraction of the hook (13) to the position shown in full lines, Figure 2. The hook is still under considerable tension and operates to hold the opposite end of the shank up against the rail base bottom, so that the seat 20 presses against the rail base bottom and the shoulder 19 is held against dropping out of engagement with the flange edge. This engagement of the shoulder against the flange edge operates to hold the anchor against retreating movement under influence of the hook contracting upon the tapering base flange (11).

The anchor is released by striking downwardly and toward the rail on the end of the inverted hook (14), so as to disengage the shoulder 19 from the flange edge and drive the shoulder under the flange. The anchor may then be easily driven off the rail, the movement being assisted by contraction of the flange embracing hook.

The excess opening of the flange embracing hook during application of the anchor serves to automatically test the hook for proper temper and freedom from serious flaws. If the hook contracts properly and tightly grips the flange after the shoulder 19 is in operative position, it indicates that the hook is serviceable and has successfully withstood the test. If, by reason of straining of the hook in application, the grip of the hook on the base flange is not as intense as desired, the grip may be increased, if the width of rail base permits, by further advancing the anchor until the second shoulder 19 engages the flange edge and the flangeembracing hook is increasingly tensioned by the flange being relatively forced farther into it. This take-up feature, which is not intended for use in an initial application of the anchor, is, however, intended for use after a period of service such that the flange embracing hook has partially lost resiliency due to fatigue of the metal, and as an alternative to reversing the anchor. If the flange embracing hook should for any reason lose the tenacity of its grip-on the flange, the anchor may be removed and reversed, that is, turned end for end and upside down and then reapplied, so as to bring the other hook into flange embracing position and the strained or fatigued hook into unloaded position under the rail base. lVhen thus relaxed, the metal of the hook may in time recuperate to an extent enabling the hook to be serviceable after a second reversal returning the hook to its original flange embracing position. The provision of a series not confined to the modifications herein disclosed but may be applied to other modifications.

When the anchor is in POSltiOD on a re 11 and in engagement with a tie, it functi ons to hold the rail against crecpin in the direction of z: its length, by reason of its grip on the rail, which causes it to thrust against the-tieand restrain the rail to an extent equal to the gripping force exerted. The principalportion oi the anchor engaging the tie, and in the case of pole ties the only part, is the inverted hook at the opposite end of the anchor from the flange embracing hook. Thus, the force urging the rail to creep is applied to one end oi the anchor and tends to slew the anchor out of its normal position at right angles to the rail. The anchor grips the rail across its width by both flanges and, since the anchor cannot elongate to accommodate itself to a greater distance angularly across the rail, any slewing movement or tendency serves only to draw the flange embracing hook farther in on the embraced flange, thus increasing the tenacity of its grip. Pressure of the inverted hook against a tie produces a canting or tipping tendency under wh ch the anchor; tends to rotate about the longitudinal {DIES or the shank. The force is in this case transmitted from the tie engaging hook as a torsion stress in the shank to the flange eng hook and serves to further increase the grip thereof on the base flange.

While the foregoing description infers manufacture of anchors of th various modifications discussed by bending the same from bars of metal, rectangular in cross-section, it is to be understood that the invention is not by any means confined to th s method of manufacture or to material of the cross-section shown, but extends to the use of metal of other CIOSS SCCt-ltYllS and the employment of other I ods, such as punching or shearing from rlat bars or sheets or even forging from biilets or blanks, or any combination of these methods with one another or with other methods. It is, however, at the present time, deemed preferable to employ the bending method combined with a stamping or pressing a:- tion to form the shoulders 19 and seats 20, since these present no difliculties and enable the anchors to be quickly, easily and inexpensively made without waste. The bending method has the further advantage that the anchors may easily be made of the thickness necessary to have rigidity in canting and the necessary length of bearing in the direction of rail length to ensure security of grip on a rail and increase of such grip in canting.

Vhile the anchor is'illustrated as flat, and is preferably flat, it may be otherwise formed, for example as shown in Figure 4.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, it may be pointed out that the double hook construction is inherently resilient and capable of withstanding vibration without losing its grip on a rail'and without creeping, and is moreover capable of contracting upon a rail to compensate for any wear which may occur. All modifications of the anchor are extremely sturdy and are of such design that they cannot be improperly applied.

Many variations of minor detail may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and all such variations, modifications, substitutions and changes whatsoever, as fall within the scope of the appended claims are to be deemed as included in the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A rail anchor including a body and a hook at each end thereof, said hooks being respectively on opposite sides of the body, the body being formed at each end within the hooks to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base relatively short in the direction of rail base width.

2. A rail anchor including a body and a pair of hooks, one at each end thereof, each formed to embrace a rail base flange and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and also formed with a plurality of shoulders adapted one at a time to abuttingly engage a rail base flange.

3. A rail anchor including a body and a pair of hooks, one at each end thereof, one

said hooks being adapted to contractingly embrace one flange of a rail base and to prcsenta single area'for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and the other of said hooks to be thereby disposed below the other flange of such rail base in position to thrust against a tie, said second hook being shouldered at a plural' .y of points to abuttingly engage the ei'lge surface of said second flange and to hold the first hook against disengagement from the first flange, the points of engagementof the first hook with the upper and lower surfaces of the first flange being at such different distances from the flange edge that the contractile action of the hook operates to urge the anchor to movement such will engage a shoulder of the other hook with the flange edge and maintain such engagement, each of said hooks being substantially similarly formed and capable of functioning as stated.

4. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of hooks one at each end thereof, one adapted to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and the other being formed with a plurality of shoulders for abutment singly against the edge surface of the other rail base flange, whereby the anchor is applicable to rails of different base dimensions.

5. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of hooks, one at each end thereof, one adapted to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and the other being formed with a plurality of shoulders for abutment singly against the edge surface of the other rail base flange, whereby the anchor may be engaged successively in a plurality of relations to a rail to compensate for decreasing grip on the rail.

6. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of hooks, one at each end thereof, one adapted to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relative- ].y short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and the other bein formed with a plurality of shoulders for abutment singly against the edge surface of the other rail base flange, whereby the anchor is appllcable to rails of different base dimensions, said hooks each being adapted for both embracing and abutting engagement with a base flange as stated, but at different times.

7. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of hooks, one at each end thereof, one adapted to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relative- 1y short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and the other being formed with a plurality of shoulders for abutment singly against the edge surface of the other rail base flange, whereby the anchor is applicable to rails of different base dimensions, said hooks being substantially similar whereby each is adapted for both embracing and abutting engagement with a base flange as stated, but at different times.

8. A substantially symmetrical rail anchor including a pair of hooks projecting from opposite sides thereof, one at each end thereof, and a shank extending between the hooks offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in non-aligned planes.

9. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of substantially similar hooks projecting from opposite sides of the body, one at each end of the body, the body being offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in substantially parallel planes.

10. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of substantially similar mutually facing hooks projecting from opposite sides of the body, one at each end of the body, the body being offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in non-aligned planes whereby when either hook is positioned flat against a tie the other hook will be spaced from the tie.

11. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of substantially similar hooks, one at each end of the body, the body being offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in non-aligning planes, the amount of such offset being less than the thickness of the anchor.

12. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of substantially similar hooks, one at each end of the body, the body being offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in non-aligning planes, the amount of such oflset being less than half the thickness of the anchor.

13. A rail anchor comprising a body and a pair of books, one at each end of the body and on opposite sides of the body, the body being offset intermediate its ends to locate the hooks in non-aligning planes.

14-. A rail anchor including a body hooked at one end to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, and formed at the other end with a plurality of shoulders adapted for engagement singly with the other flange of a rail base, whereby the anchor is adaptable to rails of diflerent base widths and flange thicknesses and capable of adjustment on a rail to compensate for decreasing grip on the rail, the shouldered end of said anchor incl uding a portion depending below a rail base in position for abutment against a tie.

15. A rail anchor including a body hooked at one end to embrace one flange of a rail base and to present a single area for engagement with the under side of the rail base, relatively short in the direction of rail base width and spaced inwardly from the edge of the rail base, at locations spaced inwardly from the edge of the flange and stepped at the opposite end, each of the steps being adapted to engage and press against the outer edge surface of the other flange while the adjacent step presses against a lateral surface of the same flange.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. I

FRANCIS W. COOPER.

CERTIFICATE or connection.

l'aient No. 1,914,684. 'June 20, 1933.

FRANCIS W. COOPER.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "Stead Rail Anchors incorporated, of Wilmington, Delaware, a corporation of Delaware", as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to "The Stead Rail Anchor Company, Limited, ,of Montreal, Queisee, Canada, a corporation oi Canada", as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Iatent should be read with this eorrectien therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of August, A. D. 1933.

5., Moore (Seal) Acting Commissioner of-Patents. 

